Class 66 update
As expected, DB Cargo has now withdrawn its final three operational Class 60 locomotives – 60024/062/074 – with work taking place at Toton depot in Nottinghamshire on the planned re-gearing project on 10 of their Class 66s, which will become Class 66/6s. The re-geared locomotives will be used on some of DBC’S heavier trains that were previously worked by the Class 60s.
The 10 Class 66s set to be re-geared have been allocated into the WBHT pool and are 66149/ 156/161/167/171/174/181/183/194 and 66221. All will be renumbered into the Class 66/6 sub-class, with the locomotives expected to be numbered 66651-66660, with 66221 looking likely to become the first to be completed.
Freightliner also operates Class 66/6s, with the company originally having 25 of the locomotives in its fleet, although six Freightliner Class 66/6 sub-fleet have been exported for use by Freightliner Poland. GB Railfreight’s planned expansion of its Class 66 fleet continues, with 10 of the 11 locomotives identified for import into the UK from mainland Europe having now arrived in the country, with former French locomotive 77505 (destined to become 66315) the latest to arrive in the UK on February 7. The ninth locomotive, 77506 (due to become 66314), arrived from France on January 26, with both recently imported Class 66s moved by road to UK Rail Leasing at Loughborough for works to prepare the locomotives for use in the UK.
At Loughborough, 66310 (previously 77507) has become the first locomotive to be repainted at UKRL’S newly commissioned paint plant within the former Brush Falcon Works. 66310 was collected and hauled to Doncaster Roberts Road on February 8, ahead of its entry into service with GBRF.
Meanwhile, the first two of the 11 imported locomotives – 66306 SCS Logistics and 66307 Ipswich Town – entered traffic with GBRF in early February.